Water heater



Jan. '14, 1930. 1. c. URI-:EL

WATER HEATER F'iled Jan. 24, 1927 HSM Patented Jan. 14, 1930 JOSEPH C. 'UBEEL, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN WATER HEATER Application led January 24, 1927. Serial No. 163,277.

The invention relates to water heaters of that type provided with a storage tank and a heating coil and burner arranged beneath said tank. lVith such constructions it is usual to supply the cold water at the base of the heating coil and to connect the upper end of the coil with the tank so as to produce an ascending current within the coil. As the burner is vat the bottom the flame and hot gaseous products of combustion first contact with the coldest coil while the upper portion of the coil containing the hottest water contacts only with gases which have already been greatly reduced in temperature. Attempts have been made to reverse this process causing the water to descend through the coil toward the burner but such constructions are seldom operative for the reason that the circulation tends to start in an upward direction.

It is the object of the present invention to obtain a construction in which the circulation of water is automatically started downward through the coil so that the hottest water is subjected to the most intense heat and is consequently raised to a high temperature. To

this end the invention consists in the construction as hereinafter set forth.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a vertical central section through my improved heater.

Figure 2 is a horizontal section on line 2--2 o f Figure 1.

In detail A is the tank which is preferably mounted within a suitable casing B providing heat insulation therefor and extending beneath the tank to form a heating chamber C. Within this heating Ichamber is arranged a coil D having its upper end connected with the bottom of the tank. This coil may be either a single coil or as shown one formed of a plurailty of concentric branches having a common inlet feed E through which water is received from the tank. The lower end of the coil D is connected to a hollow head F preferably circular in form and extending radially outward Vto slightly underlap the inner of the concentric coils. At the center of this hollow head is connected the vertical riser pipe G which passes through the bottom 50 of the tank and upward therein to a point near the upper end thereof. Beneath the head F is the burner H which also forms a spreader for the flame causing the gaseous products of 'combustion to pass around the periphery of the head and upward through the convolutions of the coil. A deflector I may be arranged within the inner coil to confine the path of the gaseousproducts to the zone of the coil. If desired, the products, after rising to the bottom of the tank, may be v passed around the outer walls thereof for a short distance before discharging to the exhaust flue J.

With the construction as described when he gas flame is started the most intense heat is applied to the bottom of the head F so that the water within the chamber in this head is rst raised in temperature. This will lcause an ascending column of hot water through the central riser Gr the water being replaced by Icolder water descending through the coil. The continued operation will further intensify the circulation for thereason that the water descending through the coil is more gradually preheated and received its final increment of heat when in the head F; Thus water closely'approximating the boiling point will rise through the conduit G to the top of the tank where it is available for use. Thus, my construction is more efficient than the usual heating coil and also avoids objectionable condensation which occurs where the hot gases first impinge against a surface in contact with cold water.

What I claim as my invention is:

l. In a hot water heater the combination with a storage tank, offa coil arranged beneath said tank, having its upper end connected to the bottom of the tank a gas burnerl beneath said coil, a hollow head directly above said gas burner and shielding said coil from the direct heat of the burner, the lower end of said coil being connected to the lowerportion of said hollow head, and a riser connected to the upper portion of said hollow head eXtending through the bottom of said tank and to the upper end thereof thereby forming a means for circulating the water in a downward direction` through said coil.

2. In a water heater the combination with a storage tank, of a heat chamber arranged beneath said tank, a coil in said heating chamber having its upper end connected to the bottom of the tank, a burner beneath said coil, 'i5 a hollow head directly above said burner and shielding said coil from `direct Contact with the flame from said burner, a riser connected to the upper portion of said hollow head eX- tending upward through the bottom of the tank to the upper end thereof and means for directing the products of combustion after passing around said hollow head through the spaces between the convolutions of said coil whereby the hottest gases are in contact with the hottest coils as the temperature gradually diminishes in an upward direction.

3. In a water heater the combination with a storage tank, of a heat insulatingcasing therefor extending below the tank to form a :.29 heating chamber therebeneath, a coil in said heating chamber having its Yupper end connected to the bottom of the tank, a gas burner beneath said coil, a hollowhead having the lower portion thereof connected to the lower z5 end of said coil and extending to shield the same from direct contact with the fia-me from said burner, a riser connected to the upper portion of said head extending upward through the bottom of the tank and to the .3.0 upper end thereof, and means for deflecting the gaseous products after passing around said hollow headinto the spaces between the Y convolutions of said coil and around the lower Y end of said tank and nally discharging the saine whereby the cooled gases Contact with the coldest surface.

4. In a hot water heater, the combination with a tank, of a gas burner,.a hollow head directly above said gas burner, a down cir- 40 culating coil shielded by said hollow head and having its lower end connected to the lower portion of said head, and its upper-end connected with the lower portion of said tank, a riser from the upper portion of said hollow head extending to Vthe upper portion of said Ytank forming a means for circulating the water and Vdrawing it downward through said coil.

5. In a hot water heater, the combination with a tank, of a gas burner, a hollowhead directly above said gas burner, means positicned directly above said head and constituting a circuitous connection between the lower portion of tne head and the bottom of .55 the Vtank for permitting the cold water therein to descend yand become gradually preheated before entering said head, and a riser extending from the upper portion of said headV to the upper portion of said tank. 00 In testimony whereof I ax my signature.

JOSEPH C. UREEL. 

